1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a component feeder apparatus. More particularly, this invention provides a device for feeding electronic components supplied in multiple component tapes to a component placement machine and the manner in which the components are supplied.
2. Related Art
Electronic devices commonly include printed circuit boards comprising several electronic components. Such electronic components are frequently assembled onto a printed circuit board by a component placement machine. Electronic components to be picked and placed by a component placement machine for assembly onto a printed circuit board are typically supplied via a component tape. The component tape may comprise a base tape, which may further comprise pockets for housing the components, and a cover tape to retain the components within the pockets. The component tape is usually made of paper or plastic and the plastic, which may be embossed, may either be clear or embossed. Ordinarily, the component tape is wound onto reels which are attached to a feeder which in turn is mounted within a component placement machine. The feeder generally operates by feeding the component tape through a series of mechanisms such that the cover tape is separated from the base tape to expose the component housed within the pocket. When a feeder is mounted in a proper position within a component placement machine, a component may be picked from the component tape at a corresponding pick position or pick point. Accordingly the component placement machine is able to pick the exposed component from the component tape supplied by the feeder and then place the component onto a printed circuit board which has been supplied to the component placement machine for assembly. Typical feeders comprise means for supplying only a single component tape to the pick point within the component placement machine. Thus, typical feeders become dedicated to a particular component type. In addition, standard feeders are typically designed so that when the component tape is depleted of components an operator must either splice a new component tape to the existing component tape, or remove the feeder to load a new component tape. This limits the number of types of components that may be supplied by the feeder and increases the difficulty and time necessary for supplying additional component tapes to the same pick point. Therefore, there exists a need for an improved feeder which overcomes the aforementioned deficiencies.